Untitiled: I just haven't thought of one!
by elfgirlManveri
Summary: From the meeting of the Marauders in the first year, through the discovery of Lupins umm... condition, to the disaster with Snape in the Shrieking Shack. Not boasting, but i LOVE the plot for this one, LOL!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:  _I bet you're sick of disclaimers by now, right? Well I don't own any of the elements in this story. I just wanted to try writing it. You get the idea.

1: The enigmas that was Remus (nearing the end of the first year)

"He's coming, he's coming."

"Shhh, don't say anything."

"Ow! Get _off_ my foot, Sirius."

"Sorry James."

"Will you two stop talking for just one second. He'll hear us!"

"Oh don't you start."

"Shhhh!"

"One,

Two,

THREE!"

The three figures leapt out of the shadows of the evening corridors, ambushing the teenage boy who was walking hurriedly along it. He gave a cry of surprise, dropping a few of the books he was holding under one arm as they swooped down on him.

"What the-"

"Shhh! Don't say anything, Remus."

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Why, are you in a hurry to get somewhere?

"YES! Let me go, please! I'm late as it is!"

"Where are you going, Remus?"

"Let me go, James. Please! You have to let me GO!" With a wrench, Remus pulled himself loose and made a break for freedom but Peter was too quick for him. He had hung back from the main part of the ambush but now he latched onto the boy's robes and hung on grimly as Remus tried to shake him off. Sirius and James came up and took an arm each.

"You're not going anywhere until we've had a little talk with you, Mister Amazing-Vanishing-Tricks," James told him firmly, struggling to hang onto his friend as Remus kicked and lunged in a panicked attempt to free himself.

"James, please! Sirius, let GO! You don't understand!"

"Then explain it to us," grunted James

"I can't! I can't! Please let me go!" Remus sounded close to tears but that just strengthened their resolve to hang on to him and get to the bottom of their enigma of a friend. They didn't release their grips, expecting Remus to calm down once he realised he was well and truly caught, but instead he only fought harder, yelling at the top of his voice. But there were no other pupils in the corridors to hear him this late in the evening.

"MISTER BLACK! MISTER PETTIGREW! RELEASE THAT BOY AT ONCE. YOU TOO, MISTER POTTER!" Minerva McGonagall strode towards them with a certain urgency to her tread. At the sound of her voice the three boys instantly released Remus, who fell backwards onto the floor.

"I will NOT have fighting in the corridors." She told them sternly. "Mister Lupin, I believe there's somewhere you need to be?"

Remus pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the apologetic hands the others offered him. His robes were in total disarray, hanging off one shoulder, his light brown hair was dishevelled and scruffy and there were frightened tear tracks making their way down the sides of his nose. He nodded silently and fled down the corridor, leaving his books strewn on the floor. McGonagall watched him go, a strange expression on her face, but she didn't call after him, or tell him off for running. Then she turned to the three friends.

"What you three think you were doing is beyond me. Harassing students, pestering them and attempting to hold them against their will. I thought you were friends with young Lupin."

"We are Professor," said Sirius guiltily.

"Then for goodness sakes try and act like it. I expect you three to head back to go back to your common room and stay there for the rest of the evening. Do you hear me?" They nodded, shame-faced and filed past her. At the last moment Peter turned back.

"Umm… P-Professor, where does Remus have to go?" She looked down at them carefully.

"I do not believe," she said deliberately, "that it is a matter you need concern yourself with, Mister Pettigrew. Instead, I would consider that you think about the hurt you have caused your friend by your actions this evening." With that she stalked off down the corridors. The three friends glanced at each other before picking up Remus' books and heading back to the Gryffindor common room in silence.

"That was brave of you, Peter," James said once they had settled themselves in their dormitory. They were sitting on their beds, feeling the gap left by Remus' empty one very keenly. "A bit silly perhaps, but brave. I wouldn't have said a thing to McGonagall."

"Well there was a _reason_ the Sorting Hat put me in Gryffindor, you know." Peter replied sullenly.

"I know," James said, then flopped backwards onto his bed. "What is it with that idiot?"

"Who, Peter?" Sirius asked innocently.

"Ha ha," said Peter. Sirius grinned at him.

"Remus," James said, ignoring the joke. "Why does he keep disappearing like this? I mean, did you see his face? I thought he was going to break down in tears at any moment. I've never seen him cry, ever! And now he's filling up just because he's going to be late for… for whatever it was. Probably a meeting or something."

"He's mad isn't he," agreed Sirius. "Why won't he tell us what the problem is? What is it he thinks we're going to do? Bite him?"

"We can try again when he comes back," Peter suggested.

"You know he won't say anything." James said.

"I was so sure we had him in the corridor," sighed Sirius in frustration. "If McGonagall, hadn't come along I reckon we'd have found out exactly what's wrong with him." He got off his bed and went to sit on Remus' empty one by the window, gazing out over the Hogwart's grounds. According to the lunar chart that Remus had pinned on the wall above it, next to his poster of his favourite Quidditch team and a few postcards, there would have been a full moon out soon if it wasn't for the rain clouds dumping heavy drops everywhere. It was a clever little chart, showing the changes of the moon day by day and, in the last box, charmed to show what the moon was doing wherever Remus was, no matter what the weather, a broad silver disk beamed out at them. He had bought it with him from home, saying it interested him, which was easy enough to believe. He was most definitely the swot of the four and absolutely soared in astronomy.

"She had a point though, James. I think maybe we did push it a little too far," Sirius admitted. "If it hurts him that much to tell us then maybe we should just leave it."

"But we're not doing it because we want to hurt him, Sirius. We're doing it because he _is_ our friend. And as _our_ friend, he should tell us what's wrong. You don't seriously expect us to leave him to suffer in silence, do you?"

"No," Sirius said with a smile. "I just wanted to see what you thought."

"We'll keep trying when he gets back," said James. Sirius returned his gaze to the window.

"Agreed; when he gets back." He looked at the grounds for a while, as the other two crawled into bed, watching the leaves dance in the rain and-

"Guys, I think there's someone out there," he said, peering through the glass.

"You're imagining it. Go to sleep," yawned James.

"No, I'm serious."

"And I'm tired and you must be too, because you're seeing things. No one's going to go out in this weather."

"Peter believes me, don't you Peter," Sirius insisted. Peter didn't reply. "Peter! Back me up here!" He threw a slipper at him and it hit him on the head.

"Oh fine!" Peter hurled himself out of bed crossly and came over to the window. "What are you looking at?"

"There, look, walking across the grounds. There's two of them, see?" Peter stared hard, his small eyes squinting through the rain.

"James."

"What?" groaned James irritably.

"He's right, there is someone out there. They're going towards the Whomping Willow."

Then they'll be in for a rough time. You remember what it did to that Slytherin girl. She was in the Infirmary for a month."

"Well they did tell us to keep away from it. Apparently it's a rare species or something. In danger of being wiped out!" Sirius gave an ironic laugh. "It'll wipe us out long before we do any harm to it!"

"No, it's not moving!" exclaimed Peter excitedly. "They're right under it, I think, and it's not even trying to touch them. And now…" He pressed his nose to the glass, steaming it up with this breath.

"What, Pete, what?" urged Sirius. Even James sat up in bed. Peter leant back and shrugged.

"They've gone."

"What do you mean, gone?"

"Gone, Sirius, as in, not there any more," he said snidely. Sirius pushed in beside him and glared at the vague silhouette of the Willow as if he could force it to tell him where they had gone. James gave a tired groan and lay down again.

"I think we all must be going mad," he muttered and fell asleep almost instantly. Peter tottered back to his bed and curled up under the blankets. Sirius stayed by the window for a while. Once he thought he saw a shape leave the Willow and head back across the grounds but it could have been nothing. Seriously annoyed, he went to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

2: Snivellus baiting

Remus turned up a day or two later. He was in the Great Hall, eating breakfast when they came down. He looked ill and tired and his right hand was bandaged up but otherwise he seemed exactly as they remembered him. They sat down in their normal places quietly, trying to avoid his gaze.

"Hi guys," Remus said.

"Remus," began James. "About when we jumped you-"

"If it's alright with you, I'd rather forget about it," Remus replied lightly.

"Alright, but we're sorry. We didn't mean to upset you like that."

"Okay."

"Okay?" said Sirius incredulously. "Okay? That's it?"

"Okay," repeated Remus. "Pass the rolls, would you?" Sirius gave him a long look, then broke into a grin and threw him a roll. Remus caught it deftly in his un-bandaged hand and grinned back.

"So you're feeling better then?"

"A little… Wait, what makes you think I might not be feeling-"

"Well the mummified hand kinda gives it away." Remus glanced at his hand. "Oh yeah. It's nothing. It was just an accident."

"Looks painful."

"Well Madam Pomfrey gave me something for it and it's much better now," he said dismissively and tried to cut the roll one handedly. After several failed attempts James lost patience.

"Are you going to ask for help or not? Look, give it here." He reached over and took his friends plate, cutting and buttering the roll for him. "You are hopeless Lupin, you really are. Why won't you let us help you with anything? Do you want jam on this or what?"

Remus smiled lopsidedly. "Call it an… independent streak. And jam's good thanks."

"Independent nothing! Where do you keep disappearing off to? You're going to lose all your OWL's the way you're going. You miss half your classes as it is."

"I'll manage." Remus said stiffly. "And this is another of those subjects that I'd rather not talk about just now." The four went quiet again. Peter tried to change the subject.

"We saw someone out near the Whomping Willow last night." Remus turned to him sharply. A little too sharply.

"You what? Who?"

"I don't know. It was raining and we were up in the dorm. It's quite a way out. Sirius just though he saw someone out there but they disappeared. He might have been imagining it."

"I was NOT imagining it!" Sirius said exasperatedly. "You saw it too, remember?"

"Why is everyone so grumpy today?" butted in James quickly, before anyone could say anything else. "Don't be difficult Peter, you know you saw something. I was there. Stop sulking Remus, and you too Sirius. I know what will cheer you up."

"What?" growled Sirius, in a voice that said there was nothing on earth that could make him feel better. James grinned and the twinkle came into his eyes that made him and Sirius look so abnormally alike whenever they were plotting together.

"Snivellus baiting," he said with glee. The other three couldn't resist a smile.

They had to wait until Potions and Transfiguration classes had gone by until they had the chance to think of something. At lunchtime they met up in the library and sat watching Severus sit in a corner, his head buried in a book entitled 'Crime and Punishment: A History of Dark Magic Through the Ages'.

"Nice friendly topic he's got there," said Remus dryly. "Are you two sure about this?" Sirius and James both turned to him and winked. There it was; that weird similarity. You could just tell they were up to no good.

"Of course we're sure," said James. "Nasty little slimeball. Besides he deserves it for blaming that Potions explosion on me."

"James, that _was_ you."

"Oh yeah."

"Besides, what could possibly go wrong?" asked Sirius.

Remus grinned and wondered whether they would want the list alphabetically or in order of significance. But he was just as keen as anyone. He had to admit, it sounded funny.

James lifted a book to hide his wand as he took it out and muttered a few words. A faint pink rainbow arched up and out of the cover of the book, striking Snape gently on top of the head. The youth reached up and scratched his greasy head, then continued reading.

"Was that it? Did it work?" Sirius wanted to know.

"It worked," replied James, a huge grin, plastered on his face. "But we'll have to wait for it to show. Isn't there anything more… immediate we could do? Remus, you've got to have something?" Remus held back.

"Come oooooon," pleaded Sirius.

"Well there is one thing…"

"Go for it!" James passed him the book as he took out his own wand. Flicking it gently, he recited a few words, altering them to fit his needs. The near-invisible spark flew over their heads and landed on the same spot on Severus' head. They waited in anticipation.

"Nothing's happening," whispered Peter.

"Patience," murmured Remus. Then Severus moved. He scratched his nose.

"Remus-"

"There!" Remus hissed. A red spot had appeared on Snape's nose.

"Is that it?" began Sirius, then Peter made a choking noise as he tried to stifle a burst of laughter. Red spots had begun to appear all over Snape's face and he was starting to scratch in earnest now. They grew and grew and got redder and redder until they were actually sticking out of his face like golf balls. Snape scratched harder and harder, standing up and doing what amounted to a funny little dance to reach the ones on his back.

James was in hysterics, burying his face in his robe to hide his laughter as Snape pranced around the library, giant spots and all. Sirius actually had tears running down his cheeks.

"It's… g… genius… R- Remus!" he cried, struggling to get the words out. The other students had started to notice the dancing Severus too and were doubling over in fits of giggles.

" I can't- I ca-ca-hahaha!" sobbed Peter, trying to speak, shaking with glee. Snape had now reached the front of the library and was trying to explain himself to the librarian while still scratching furiously and hopping around like a demented frog. The librarian sighed, waved her wand and the spots were gone. Severus sagged with relief and several of the students said "Oh!" in disappointed voices. Then Snape pointed at the four, his eyes glistening with hate and embarrassment, and the librarian began to advance down the aisle towards them.

James just managed to wipe his eyes and hold back the laughter long enough to say "Uh oh".

"And for your detentions, you will be shelf-stacking in the library for a week!"

James sighed, it was no more than he'd expected. The four of them were lined up in Professor McGonagall's office, hands clasped guiltily behind their backs.

"Mister Lupin, I would have expected better from you, and you three: did I not warn you about harassing other pupils?" She sighed and waved them away. "You may go. But think about what I'm telling you. You are no longer children. You have responsibilities now. Use them wisely."

"Well that went as well as could be expected," said Remus once they were outside.

"Oh, but it was worth it for that look on Snivellus's face," said James dreamily. "I can still smell the pus."

"That's disgusting, James," smiled Remus.

"I couldn't see any difference to how it usually looks," Sirius commented and the four of them started chuckling again. "That was inspired, Remus! Where on earth did you come up with that?"

"I don't know. I've just had a lot of time to think recently. When will your spell kick in James?"

"Oh sometime tomorrow, around breakfast time. But until then, we have shelves to stack. Come on." They trooped off towards the library, the thought of a weeks worth of lifting and carrying the heavy tomes balanced out rather nicely by the memory of Snape's bulging red face.


	3. Chapter 3

3: A revelation

James was in trouble again. It was a certain talent he had. He was a clever boy and did well in lessons, but somehow always managed to find what people liked to call 'alternative outlets' as well.

He had rather hoped that Snape would have come down the Great Hall and shown off his marvellous creation but he had stayed in the Slytherin dorms and only Slytherin house had got to see it. That was enough though. Within minutes rumours were circulating of the spectacle of Severus and his bright pink hair. Once the knowledge was out, it was only a matter of time before they traced the spell back to him. He had been duly sentenced to an extra three days of library duty which meant he was staying behind today when the other three went back to the common room. Just over a week had passed since that day in the library and he was still laughing every time he saw Snape.

Remus really was the strangest of people, he thought to himself. One day he would be all smiles and ingenious pranks, and then a few days later he would be moody and self-absorbed. It seemed to be a cycle that went round and round, with Remus taking days off school in the middle of the grumpy period. And he always came back looking ill and unhappy. James did worry about him sometimes. He always seemed so secretive and preoccupied but at the same time Remus was one of the nicest people he knew. He just never let anyone get close enough to him to really see it.

"Mister Potter! Pay attention, if you would!" said the librarian crossly. "Now, we are doing an inventory of all the books in the library over the next few weeks and I expect _you_, Mister Potter, to start over there and to have documented the title, author and publisher of all the books up to that point _there_ by the time you leave on the third day. Do you understand?" He nodded glumly and a scroll of parchment and a quill appeared in the air before him. He took them and began to write.

When he finally got back to the dormitory after what seemed an age of perpetual writing, his fingers were killing him, he had writers cramp in both arms from where he'd switched when one became too tired, and he was up to his elbows in ink.

"How'd it go?" asked Sirius.

"Ouch," said James in answer, and fell into bed.

He went back the next day and continued writing. He was past the sections on charms, hexes and mythical water beasts and was now beginning the shelves entitled, 'Nocturnal Creatures'. He hoped that it would be vaguely more interesting. The section spanned several book cases and ended up in a dark corner of the library, where pupils too lazy to put their books back properly had piled them up on the shelves, blocking his view of the titles on the spines of the books. Standing on his toes, he tried to push aside a stack of them, only to overbalance and have the whole lot descend on his head. He threw up his arms for protection as they rained down on him, stepped backwards, slipped on another pile and ended up on his backside with several books lying open on his lap. He rubbed his shoulder where a particularly heavy book had struck him and began to pick them up, jotting down their details as he went. Remus would have loved this, he thought morosely. He was never happier than when he had a book in one hand and a chocolate frog in the other. Those were probably the only two things that would cheer him up during his monthly moods-

He stopped short, staring at the title of the book before him. Several thoughts dashed through his mind in the space of a few seconds. _Monthly…ill…moonrise…evening…hidden…frightened…waxing…lunar chart…once a month…bitten…Remus?..._

The book's title read, in bold silver letters, 'The Young Wizards guide to Nocturnal Creatures: Volume 4: Werewolf- The Monthly Monster'. It was a terrible title but it made it's point. The picture on the front was of half a man and half a large wolf, baring its fangs, split down the middle of the page. It almost looked a little like Remus, James thought. Something about the eyes; the hunted look he had seen in Remus when they ambushed him the corridor.

On one hand, it couldn't be true. It made no sense at all. Dumbledore wouldn't even consider having a werewolf in the school, surely it was too dangerous.

But then, on the other hand it made _perfect_ sense. He flicked through the book. When had Remus last disappeared? That night they had seen someone by the Whomping Willow. That would have been full moon, wouldn't it? He was sure he could remember Remus' chart glowing in the light of the bright sphere of the moon in the final box. It _had _been full moon! And symptoms… He kept flicking until he found a page, read it twice and then slammed the book closed, his brain bulging with more information than he really wanted to know. It helped, but it still didn't answer his question. He needed more proof, and there was only one way to get it.

The rest of the moth passed uneventfully, although Severus gave them murderous glares every time they passed him in a corridor. His hair hadn't quite returned to its normal greasy black yet and glowed with a faint pink sheen. The other three shared their lesson notes with Remus and he caught up with his homework and life continued as normal. But James was constantly watching Remus and his chart with growing anticipation. He hadn't even tried to tell Sirius about his suspicions, and he normally told Sirius everything. If he was wrong, well that was fine, but if he was right… He didn't even know what he was going to do if he was right. He hadn't dared to think about it yet. As the month went on he began to think that maybe he'd made a mistake. Although Remus did seem to get a little more withdrawn for a few days, he made no signs of leaving. Then suddenly, on the seventeenth, he disappeared without any explanation. James checked the chart. Full Moon. He mulled it over for a while and then called an emergency conference in the dormitory.

"No way!" said Sirius. "You've got to be joking. You can't be serious, James, that's ridiculous!"

"That's what I thought at first, but look at the facts. He vanishes without a trace for a day or two. He always turns up looking like he's going to faint at the drop of a hat. He's ill for a few days, and then everything is fine. For one month. Exactly one. And he always seems to disappear when it's a full moon. Haven't you noticed?"

"Well I never thought to check," said Sirius. "Do you mean you've been waiting a whole month, just to see if he'd vanish?"

"Yes! And where is he now? It's a full moon tonight, Sirius, and he's not here. Again."

"James, there could be another explanation," said Peter.

"Yes, there could be. Or I could be right and our friend is a werewolf! Last month he disappeared on a full moon. Before that, he missed that Potions test. I checked and it was on a full moon. The month before that he said he had to go home because his mother was sick. That was a full moon too. He's got all the signs. Look, here's the book. Read it!" He tossed the volume on werewolves across to Peter. He'd got it out from the library the day after he'd discovered it and had been reading it through when the others weren't around. The librarian had nearly had a fit, claiming that she never thought she'd see the day when James Potter actually went to the library to read.

Peter picked it up and skimmed the pages James had marked as important. Finally he closed it again and passed it to Sirius, who was waving his hand impatiently for it. He too, skimmed through James' notes and closed it with a snap.

"You've really done your homework on this."

"And it does fit, doesn't it?"

"It does."

"I don't know if I like that," Peter continued. "If he is a werewolf, isn't that… dangerous?"

"Oh come on Peter, think!" said James. "He'd only be dangerous when he transformed at full moon and he's never here, is he? My guess is he hides out somewhere for a few days and then comes back again when he's safe. I mean, if he was dangerous to us, he'd be dangerous whether we knew about it or not. Us knowing the truth won't make a scrap of difference to what he has to do."

"That's true." Sirius went and sat in his favourite spot by the window. A slow grin spread across his face. "It's actually kind of cool," he said slowly. "I mean, how many people could say they're friends with a werewolf?"

"If I'm right," James added.

"What do you mean, if you're right? It's your brainwave. Are you sure about it or not?"

"Well we'll all have to watch him like hawks over the next month for any sort of sign. But in the end there's only one way to know for certain… We need to talk to Remus." Peter winced and Sirius drew in a long hissing breath.

"He won't like that."

"I know, but we have to know the truth."

"How are we going to get him to talk?" Peter asked anxiously.

"Well…" Sirius grinned, the mischievous glint coming into his eyes. "That ambush thing did seem to work well last time."


	4. Chapter 4

4: The truth-telling

"NO! What are you doing? Can't you leave me alone for five minutes?"

This time Remus didn't struggle nearly as hard and they managed to drag him into a side room and latch the door. James and Sirius dumped him in a chair and Sirius stepped up behind him to hold him down by the shoulders. Remus squirmed uncomfortably but Sirius had the advantage and he couldn't wriggle free.

"What is this all about?" he said crossly, trying to sit up straight against the force of Sirius' arms.

"Why, don't you tell us, Mister Moonlight Wanderer," said James. "Lumos!" He lit up his wand and shone it in Remus' eyes like an interrogators lamp, which was totally unnecessary as the windows were open and the room was full of sunlight.

"Ow! Do you have to do that?" he complained.

"No," admitted James with a grin, "but I saw it in a movie they showed us in Muggle Studies once and I always wanted to try it." Remus gave a little smile and he toned down the glow.

"We need to talk, Remus," he said, more seriously. "We know what you are."

"What, annoyed? Bruised? Needing some new robes that _aren't _stretched beyond recognition?"

"All good guesses, but no," Sirius said. Peter scuffed his feet nervously in the background.

"We know, Remus," said James, kneeling in front of him. "We know you're a werewolf." They all held their breaths, waiting for Remus' reaction. He stared James straight in the face, as if he could read whether it was a bluff or not from his expression. James stared him out for a long time.

Then Remus dropped his head into his hands.

"Oh no," he whispered. "No no no no!"

James stood up and stepped back in shock. He had expected, maybe even hoped, that Remus would laugh, or look confused or even try to deny it. He had not foreseen this bleak admission of guilt.

"So it's true?" said Sirius quietly, also stunned by the reaction. Remus didn't answer. He had buried his head in his sleeves. Sirius touched him gently on the arm.

"How long have you known?" Remus asked, voice muffled by the robes.

"Not long. James guessed it about a month ago and we were just waiting to see if it was true. Then you went away again last week and we thought it was worth a gamble."

"No no no no NO! This can't happen! I was so careful!" he murmured, sounding distraught.

"Yes but how careful can you be, Remus? If you have to go, you have to go. That's why you keep vanishing for a few days every month, isn't it? To… umm… transform."

Remus nodded blankly, his face showing nothing.

"No one was supposed to notice."

"Well we're your friends Remus, you think we wouldn't be even a little bit worried about you?" sighed James. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Why do you think? Do you know how many people have stuck with me after finding out what I am? Two. My parents. That's it." He looked up now, eyes large with pain. "Do you know what people do to werewolves? They cast them out. They don't want them around. I'm amazed Dumbledore even let me come here at all. We had to move out of town after I was bitten in case anyone found out about me. If they had we'd have had to move anyway. You see this?" He held up his hand, unbandaged now but with a jagged pink mark across it. "I did this. Because there was no one else to hurt, I hurt myself! We're vicious monsters, you know, who'll kill you as soon as look at you! People see us in nightmares and wake up screaming."

"All right, all right! Calm down, Remus; you're scaring me now," said James loudly as the boy ranted on, beginning to panic. "Are you _trying _to put us off you? It's okay. We've talked about it. It's alright with us if you're a werewolf. I mean, it's not perfect but it's okay."

Remus stared at him, completely taken aback.

"You mean… you don't mind?" Sirius gave him a long look and then started to laugh quietly. James joined him and even Peter chuckled nervously, although he still looked a little apprehensive after Remus' frightened outburst.

"You silly old thing, Remus," James said smiling. "You think that after all we've been through a little thing like that is going to put us off you?"

"Well it's hardly a little thing," said Peter.

"Shut up, Peter," growled Sirius. "You know what he means."

James continued. "And after the effort we've put into working you out, you think we're just going to abandon you? Not likely! We'll stick by you."

"Until the very second before moonrise," agreed Sirius. Remus didn't speak. He was completely lost for words. Finally he gave a little moan of relief and put his head back in his hands again.

"You okay, Remus?" Remus sniffed once, nodded and sat up straight again.

"Yeah. I'll be alright. I just can't believe it. I just never thought that you could accept this about me. No one ever has."

"Give us a little more credit than that please!" grinned Sirius. Remus nodded slowly.

"Okay, I'm sorry. But you three have to swear not to tell anyone about this. Not a soul."

"Of course not," said James instantly and Peter and Sirius nodded their agreement. "Not under torture or pain of death. We are Gryffindors after all." Remus sighed deeply and sagged back into the chair.

"I just can't believe it," he muttered again.

"Poor old Remus. You've been on your own for quite a long time, haven't you?"

Then Sirius clapped his hands loudly, making them all jump.

"Well, now that's all over with, let's hear all the details! So where _do_ you go, Remus? When it's full moon." Remus smiled and began to talk, a little shakily at first, but slowly gathering momentum.

"You'll never believe this-"

"Oh, don't start that again," moaned James sarcastically. "What else could there possibly be that we wouldn't understand?"

"There's a tunnel under the Whomping Willow. You just touch a knot on the trunk and it stops moving long enough to get past the branches. If you didn't know about it, there'd be no way through. Every full moon I get smuggled out there by Madam Pomfrey. It leads down to that little shack between here and Hogsmeade and I stay in there while it…happens."

"It was you!" exclaimed Sirius. "Who's imagining things now, James?" James socked him playfully on the arm. "Alright, you win. You did see someone. That's why you were so interested when Peter mentioned it, right Remus?"

"Yes. Obviously Madam Pomfrey isn't a very good smuggler," he added wryly. "What we really need is an invisibility cloak like yours James. Then there'd be no chance of me being seen… No! Sirius NO!" The spark had come back into James' and Sirius' eyes almost simultaneously.

"Don't even think about it," Remus told them sternly. "If you came along when I transformed I could kill you so easily it's not even worth joking about."

"Oh don't be silly, Remus. We aren't quite that stupid," said Sirius, pretending to take offence, although his eyes still said that he thought it sounded like fun. "But, when you aren't a werewolf, and they take you down there, why shouldn't we come too? We could keep you company for a while."

"Honestly, I'd rather you didn't," Remus replied quietly. "Not yet anyway. It's just too… Well it's embarrassing on top of everything else. I trust you," he added quickly, "and now that you all know the truth I trust you even more. But it's still strange. It'll take some getting used to. Maybe later on. I just need some time"

"Okay," said Sirius.

"Okay?" Remus replied. Sirius shrugged.

"Okay!"

"Okay."

They emerged from the room about ten minutes later, smiling and laughing and making jokes about chasing cats and howling at the moon that Remus could see were going to last for quite some time. But, just then, he really didn't care.


	5. Chapter 5

5: Snivellus' revenge (nearly 2 years later)

"Look out, Remus!" The boy ducked quickly, lifting his book over his head to protect it as the small golden bullet that was the Snitch zoomed over it. James rushed after it, bounding from chair to chair as he chased the Snitch across the common room. Finally he caught up with it and, bouncing off one of the sofa chairs, he managed to grab it in one hand. He got down off the chair, rubbing his scruffy hair out of his eyes and grinning broadly.

"Very nice," Sirius commented lazily from the chair he was sprawled in. "A hundred points to Gryffindor for catching the Snitch."

"It was brilliant, James!" squeaked Peter. James grinned even more broadly at the praise.

"Sorry about that, Moony," he said. "A low flying Snitch could take your head off!" The nickname had evolved last year and seemed to have become stuck to him over the beginning of the autumn term. In a funny way he liked it. It was a reminder of the fact that he no longer had anything to hide.

"Not nearly as likely as a low flying Seeker," shot back Remus good-naturedly, leaning back with a crafty smile and lowering his book. "You've got to wonder why you're suddenly so keen on practising, James. You wouldn't be trying to impress somebody, would you? A certain pretty young Gryffindor named…let me think… Lily Evans?"

"Maybe," said James.

"_Maybe!_" Sirius called from his chair. "It's not just a maybe when you break off a perfect barrel roll because she wasn't looking at you. We could have lost the match! Although I can understand what she might see in that Ravenclaw Chaser…"

"Shut up, Sirius," said James, and tried to throw the Snitch at him but it just fluttered off in a different direction and he had to run after it and catch it again. Remus watched him, laughing gently. He didn't feel too good and he knew exactly why. Full moon was only a few days away, but at least he wouldn't have the trouble of thinking of new lies and excuses to give his friends. He had become gradually less moody and reserved over the last year as the worry of being revealed was lifted and his friends had proven themselves more than trustworthy. Sirius turned to him, noticing how quiet he was.

"That time of the month, is it?" he teased. Remus threw a cushion at him. Sirius ducked quickly and it flew over his head, whacking James as he scrambled after the Snitch.

"Hey!"

"Not my fault!" Sirius said quickly, holding his hands up in surrender. When James threw it back, he didn't duck fast enough. James laughed aloud and carried on with his search for the Snitch. Remus sighed happily.

"What are you puzzling away at?" said James, snagging the Snitch at last and curling himself up comfortably in a fourth chair.

"Revision, for next lesson. Boggarts," Remus replied shortly, demonstrating the book. "Three guesses as to what it will turn into when it sees me. I have to make it change and I have to make it change fast, before anyone realises what it is."

"What'll you turn it into?"

"I don't know. I wish I could practise beforehand. There's nothing about the moon that makes me laugh."

"Come on, Remus, think bigger," suggested Sirius. "Big round things that make you laugh. Balloons? Bubbles?"

"Sirius' face?" James chipped in. "_Bubbles_, Sirius? He's not three, you know."

"At least I'm trying to be helpful!"

"You'll be fine, Remus. Defence against the Dark Arts is one of your best subjects," James assured him.

"But won't it turn into a werewolf?" Peter asked. "That's alright, isn't it? Lots of people are scared of them. I don't like wer- Well apart from you, of course, but then you're different, from other... Well, you know," he finished lamely.

"Thanks for that, Peter," said Remus stiffly. "And no it won't. I'm not afraid of werewolves themselves, just of having to become one once a month. I'll have to pass it off as something else. A crystal ball maybe."

"Or a giant pus-filled spot!" exclaimed James. "Quite the finest moment of our first year! We'll have to think of something to beat all our past pranks this time though. Something no one will ever forget. I still hear people talking about that one. You're quite famous, Remus."

"I wonder what dear Snivellus is doing today," Sirius mused. "You know he still hasn't forgiven you for that trick with the spots, Moony. I heard him muttering about it in the corridors."

"Really? What about that time you wrote 'Wash Me!' on the back of his head in flashing letters, surely he hasn't forgotten that?"

"Yes but he couldn't _see_ that, could he? They took it off and didn't tell him what it said. Such a pity." Sirius shook his head sadly. "He's got it in for you now. For all of us."

"Wow," said Remus softly. "After two years? He really can hold a grudge, can't he?"

"Oh yes, he's one of a kind is our Snivellus."

"Do you think we should be worried?"

"Nah! This is Snivelling Snape we're talking about. He wouldn't dare try anything."

He was partly right. Severus would never have tried to pick them off when they were all together. However, as it turned out, he would dare to try and put an Impediment jinx on Remus when he caught him alone in a corridor on the day of the full moon. He waited until Remus had passed him and he had a clear shot at his back before firing off the spell. Hearing the shouted words, Remus spun quickly, pulling out his own wand to try and create a counter spell but he wasn't quick enough. The jinx contained such venomous force that it blasted him and his half-formed shield across the corridor and into the wall. Severus advanced on him, wand pointed directly at his throat.

"You thought you could pick on me?" Severus hissed. "You thought you could bully me and I wouldn't fight back? Well here's a nice little spell that you'll enjoy. I know you love tricks like this so much." The look on his face told Remus that Snape was aiming for something far more serious than a few comedy spots. He was actually going to try and hurt him, he was that bitter.

Remus, scared as he was with the business end of that wand aimed at his head, suddenly had an idea of what he had done in the library two years ago. Severus was as lonely as he had been. He was a vicious, unforgiving beast of a boy, but he was lonely. And Remus had made it worse when he, of all people, should have understood.

"I had no idea," he said, careful not to alarm Severus. "I'm sorry."

"Well it's a bit late now, isn't it." Snape pushed a lock of hair back from his sallow face. "Everyone's always sorry once they're caught. You'll be even sorrier when I'm through with you." He drew in a breath to speak the words and Remus tried hard not to close his eyes. He stared at Severus, trying to read his expression as he had done with James when he was confronted with the truth. After having studied how to hide his own feelings for years, mostly by copying others, he had begun to learn how to value what he saw.

"Severus," he began. "Just think for a minute. If you think that I-"

"Enough!" Snape bellowed. "Don't try and talk yourself out of this one, Lupin. You're not the nice little boy everyone thinks you are." _If only you knew_, Remus thought briefly. Snape's mouth began to form the letters.

"Everena-"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

With a roar of rage Sirius came barrelling along the corridor, wand outstretched. Snape's wand flew from his hand. He bolted after it and Remus slipped to the floor.

"Are you all right?" Sirius called, skidding to a halt. He waited for the briefest of moments for Remus to nod and then shot off after the fleeing Severus. Remus picked himself up as James and Peter came running up to him; James tucking his wand back into his robes. It was he who had disarmed Snape.

"Not hurt?"

"Not hurt."

"Not hexed?"

"Don't think so."

"Come on, quick. Before he does something stupid."

"Which one?" gasped Peter as they followed Snape and Sirius at a run.

"I don't know. Either of them!"

"There they are!" It was Snape who was now backed against the wall with Sirius towering over him. His wand was out but instead of spewing out all the hexes he could muster, he was speaking quietly and forcefully at Snape, a wicked expression on his face. As he saw the others he let Snape go, keeping a careful eye on him as he stumbled away down the corridor, his greasy hair all over the place.

"What did you do to him?" asked Remus, slightly concerned for Snape's sake. It was an unfamiliar emotion. Sirius shrugged.

"Nothing. Just told him a couple of things he won't forget for a while."

"You didn't do _anything_?" James pressed incredulously. "That's very self-restrained for you."

"I know," Sirius grinned. "I feel quite pleased with myself." But his expression showed that he was still furious with Severus. "I'd give it until the day after tomorrow, then I don't think he'll bother us again."

"Why the day after tomorrow?" quizzed Remus. "I'll miss it, whatever it is. I'll still be recovering in the Infirmary. If you hadn't all turned up just then, they wouldn't have had to worry about a werewolf running loose tonight. I think he'd have broken both my legs!"

"Don't worry, it's all sorted," Sirius said. "You have to trust me, Moony."

"I do trust you," Remus replied solemnly. He sighed, looking extremely uncomfortable. "I'd better get ready to go. I'll see you all in a day or two." They wished him luck and he turned to go.

"Oh, wait! About Snape," he added. "Don't do anything to him, will you? Don't try and hurt him or anything. I think I need to talk to him when I get back and I need him in a good mood. And one piece."

"Get going, Moony!" said James. "We'll take care of it." He, Peter and Sirius went back to common room, which was nearly empty. They watched as the sun began to set and thought of Remus under the Whomping Willow, steeling himself to transform. Sirius was unusually quiet. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"James," he said finally. James looked up.

"What?"

"I think," Sirius said, choosing his words carefully, "I may have done something rather stupid."

"What?" James chuckled, letting his imagination run away with him.

"No, James. Not like that. I think Snape may be going to find Remus."

"Well that's alright. He's safe for the next few days."

"No. Not when he gets back. Now. As in, right now; under the Willow."

"What?" echoed Peter.

"I may have told Snivellus how to find him when he's down there. And he may be going to look for him there. Tonight. After dark." James and Peter both looked at him, very slowly.

"If you're joking…"

"No, I'm not. I'm deadly serious."

"Sirius," said James quietly, "what have you done?"

"I don't know. I was angry and… you know how I get. I wasn't thinking straight. I just blurted it out!"

"What exactly did you tell him?" James was on his feet now.

"Where to find him, when to go, how to get under the Willow. I thought it would scare him into-"

"SCARE HIM?" yelled James. "IT'S GOING TO KILL HIM! MAYBE REMUS TOO!" He paced madly, trying to calm down. "What in Merlin's name possessed you to-"

"I don't know, James. It was a mistake!"

"Too right it was. You swore, Sirius, we all did. You promised not to tell a soul. Think about it. Severus has a wand, Remus has razor sharp fangs, they can't both win you know!"

"What do we do?" yelped Peter.

"Go find Dumbledore," James told him. "RUN! I'll try and catch Snape before he gets there." He looked out the window. The sky was red in the afterglow of the long-set sun. "We don't have long. Go!"

"What can I do?" said Sirius, getting up too.

"Don't you think you've done enough?" snapped James.

"This is my fault. I want to help!"

"Fine, go help Peter. You have a whole castle to search! Get moving!" They burst out of the common room, to the protesting screams of the Fat Lady trying to tell them to walk in the corridors.


	6. Chapter 6

6: The hunter and the hunted

When James reached the Whomping Willow it was nearly pitch black. The moon would be rising any minute now and by the light of his wand he could see the long stick that was used to press the knot in the tree and the gaping hole of the open tunnel entrance beyond. Was Snape already in there? Surely Remus wouldn't just leave it open like that. When he had pointed it out to them it had always been closed. Picking up the stick, he touched the knot and scampered down into the roots of the tree.

The tunnel was dark and cold. And very long. James ran along it as best he could, nearly tripping himself up several times in the blackness where his eyes missed the roots and stones. He lit his wand again and the light spun out through the tunnel. He noticed three things. Firstly, he was nearly at the end of the tunnel, secondly that there was a greasy haired youth standing between him and that end, and thirdly that the youth's wand was out too. Snape wasn't here just to watch the show.

"Expelliarmus!" Snape cried, spinning round on him. James' wand leapt from his grasp and the light went out. He crouched down in the dark and held out a hand. Time to improvise.

"Accio wand," he whispered. He heard a faint skittering noise but it was too weak. "Accio wand!" he repeated firmly, confident that it would work this time. It had to work this time. It did, and it nearly poked him in the eye as it did so. He stood up again, relighting the wand and raising his arms in surrender.

"Snape, I'm not going to try anything."

"You'd better not, Potter," Severus replied, training his wand on him. "Or I'll blast you too."

"Look Snape. I don't know what Sirius told you but it's not safe here. We have to leave, right now."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You have to, Severus, listen to me. It's dangerous. We could both be killed. Both of us! You have to come with me now."

"You're lying. You're trying to trick me again aren't you?"

"Snape!" James yelled, getting angry.

"You can't fool me that way, Potter. I've put up with you and your friends for three years now and I'm finally going to get my own back." James could see him grinning in the blue-white light. The sight made him shudder.

"Snape, if you don't get back here now-"

"You'll what? Set your friends on me? They aren't here, Potter. It's me and you and that Lupin boy. You're all a bunch of frauds, making out you're so wonderful and perfect. We'll see how wonderful you are without them to back you up. I'm waiting to see-"

"James?" Both the boys spun round to see Remus' head poking through a trapdoor. He took in the scene in less than a second, and his eyes widened. He dropped through the trapdoor.

"Get out now! You have to get OUT!" he cried. "What are you doing here, James? You've got less than a minute! RUN!" Then he saw Snape's wand and stopped dead.

"You see my problem," James growled as Snape turned the wand on Remus. Remus approached him slowly, like a hunter trying to get near an angry crocodile or a poisonous snake. His voice was steady, but James could hear him beginning to panic.

"Snape, this is neither the place nor the time. You have to believe me. If you stay here, you'll get hurt. I'm sorry for what I did to you but I thought you'd have gotten over it by now."

"Snape, you have to listen to us now. If we don't get out right now then you'll never-" James began again, but was interrupted by a cry from Remus. The boy had suddenly doubled over in pain. For a moment James thought that Snape had got him with a spell but then he realised the truth. Pale moonlight was coming into the hole from a window in the Shack above, catching his friend in its glare.

"Oh Merlin-" James moaned. Snape turned to him, looking a little confused at Remus' unexpected behaviour.

"What's he do-"

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" For a moment James wasn't sure who had spoken but then Severus fell over backwards, as stiff as a board. Remus was left with his wand pointed at the spot where Severus' back had been, but his hand was shaking horribly. He tossed James his wand.

"Take this with you. Get him out. NOW!" The words were forced and painful.

"How? What do I do?"

"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T CARE! GET OUT!" Remus' face was… changing. He trembled violently as he struggled to hold on to his sanity for a few seconds longer. James only prayed that Severus couldn't see him from where he was.

"Um… Um… Wingardium Leviosa!" It was a clumsy spell but it worked. Snape's stiff frame lifted into the air and James began to back along the tunnel at a run. Remus was writhing on the ground now and there was no way he was going to be able to get back into the Shack without help. And James didn't have time to help.

"Hang on, Remus! Just hold on! Fight it!"

"GET OUT! I CA-AA-AA-" The terrified scream petered out and was replaced by a far worse sound. The howl of a wolf. James back off faster, wand hand working like crazy, trying to keep control of the floating Severus and tripping over roots and clods of soil. He fell over several times but leapt straight back up, knowing he had barely seconds to spare.

He could see the end of the tunnel now, with the moonlight streaming in. He could also hear noises from where he had come from. Scufflings, growlings, pantings. Footsteps beginning to head down the tunnel towards him, made by clawed paws on rough stone. He began to run faster, the breath rasping in his lungs as he struggled not to let out a cry himself. Remus was coming. But not really Remus. If only for tonight, Remus was gone.

Reaching the end of the tunnel he tried to tilt Snape up to get him out. Even under the spell, Snape's eyes had just enough mobility left to widen in horror and fear as he was forced to face the creature looming up out of the dark tunnel. James didn't dare look behind him; he began shoving Snape's body up as hard as he could.

"Come ON!" he shouted, throwing his shoulder against Snape, but he wouldn't move. Suddenly the body lifted out of his grip and into the night, then hands came back down for him. He grabbed them and scrambled out of the hole, actually feeling the hot breath of the wolf on the back of his neck. Then several things happened at once.

He was thrown out into the night and had a brief view of stars in one direction and grass in another.

There was the snap of empty jaws and a snarl from inside the hole.

A strong voice called out a spell he couldn't catch and the entrance in the Willow slammed shut.

There was a cry of rage from within, and then a long mournful howl. It sent shivers down his spine. That was how close he had come. That was how near he had been to death at the hands of a friend.

He lay on the damp grass with his eyes closed and his and Remus' wands grasped tightly in one hand. Fresh air had never tasted so good in his mouth. He took several long breaths of it. Then someone cleared their throat. James sat up.

Dumbledore was looking down at him. Snape lay on the grass behind him, still petrified. A few other teachers were gathered further back. Peter and Sirius were nowhere to be seen.

"Hello there, Mister Potter," he said.

"Um… Hello, sir."

"It's been quite an evening, hasn't it?" He made it sound as if James had just gone for a little stroll around the lake, not run for his life from a werewolf.

"Yes sir."

"Let's go and talk about it in my office, shall we?"

"Yes sir. Will Remus be… alright now, sir?"

"As well as can be expected, under the circumstances, James. Now, if you please. Severus will join us once the other teachers have seen to him." He walked James back to the castle. James had a funny feeling in his stomach. It was very like the one he got when he knew he was in trouble.


	7. Chapter 7

8: From the beginning

As soon as James entered the office, Sirius was on his feet. He and Peter were in chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. There were two more waiting for James and Snape when they arrived.

"Is he alright? Are they both alright?" he yelled, nearly knocking his seat over. James glared at him. He couldn't remember ever having to glare at Sirius before. He didn't like it.

"Sit down please, Mister Black," said Dumbledore calmly. "All will be revealed in due course." Sirius sunk back into his chair anxiously. He clearly thought that to stew in his own worry for a few more minutes was a very adequate punishment for what he had done.

"Now then," Dumbledore said, arranging himself in his seat. "I'd like to know everything. Let's start at the beginning, hmmn?" Sirius squirmed again. An adequate punishment it would be, but easy to bear it would not. From the beginning could take a while.

Remus turned up in the Infirmary a few days later and, after a long talk with Dumbledore, James and Peter went in to see him. Sirius did not. They questioned him about it in the dormitory that night.

"Why didn't you visit Moony today, Sirius? He was asking after you."

"Was he?" said Sirius, surprised. "Why?"

"I think he was worried about you, although I wouldn't be if I were him," James replied acidly. He was taking his time forgiving Sirius, partly on purpose. Even in the heat of the moment, it was so unlike Sirius to break his word that he almost felt that he must have done it deliberately, although his actions now showed his deep regret.

"Dumbledore told him the whole story," Peter added. "But he wanted us to explain it to him too, so he got the full picture."

"He's missing your side of it," James explained. "Even Snape had to do it. And he's been sworn to the strictest secrecy too. I don't know how Dumbledore managed it. Let's hope he keeps his word and watches _his_ tongue."

"It was a mistake! An accident! I wasn't thinking and I've said I'm sorry hundreds of times," Sirius cried in despair. "What more do you want me to do?"

"Say it to Remus," James answered shortly. Sirius paled visibly.

"Not yet," he murmured. "I can't face him yet."

Remus reappeared at breakfast time the next morning, looking as pale and as ill as he always did, and was unusually quiet. He seemed to be waiting for something, but the more he waited, the more guilty Sirius felt until finally he left the Great Hall without eating any breakfast. Remus sighed and stirred his cereal listlessly. They knew him well enough by now to change the subject.

"Ready to face down the Boggarts?" James asked him, trying to sound cheerful.

"You know, I'm really not," Remus said quietly. "I'm more scared now than ever I was before. It was so close, that night. I swear I actually remember chasing you."

"Maybe they'll let you off?"

"No. I'm still going to do it. I have to do it, or I'll never get over it. I just wish Sirius would say something. Anything! My chance at sorting things out with Severus has gone down the drain too." He rubbed his temples irritably. "Arrgh! I'm such a wreck this morning!" Peter and James looked at each other over the top of his head. What could they possibly say to make this any better? If Sirius wouldn't talk to Remus then there was no way that this could get sorted out. James put his head down near Remus' ear.

"If you like, we could always ambush him in a corridor, dump him in a chair and hold him there until he says he's sorry. After all, it worked so well on you." That drew a brief smile from them all for a few moments.

"Thanks, but I don't know if that'll work. He's a lot more stubborn than I am. I guess I'll just have to wait." He picked up his spoon again and began to eat his cereal. James sighed. With hardly anyone talking, it was going to be a long day.


	8. Chapter 8

9: The final test

Magical History was boring and none of them could focus on anything that was said. They were given extra homework to catch up. Potions would have been alright had they not been distracted by their own thoughts. As it was, they managed, instead of creating a wart-reducing potion, to make one that made the taster's ears grow abnormally large, and another that sparked so dangerously, no one dared to taste it. They were told to study the theory after class and to make another by the end of the lesson.

James tried, he really did, but a Sirius who couldn't seem to keep his mind on anything and kept glancing over at Remus without trying to _look_ like he was doing it, was not a Sirius that was very useful for measuring delicate amounts of powder or chopping roots into fine slivers. The potion went yellow instead of green. With a sigh of resignation, he sank back in his chair.

"Sirius!" he moaned. "I'm begging you, please, _please_, just go and say it. Say you're sorry and get it over with." Sirius didn't answer.

"Hey! Sirius!" Sirius didn't look James in the eye. He kept on chopping up the root without looking at it.

"I can't."

"Why on earth not?" he sighed. "Look, stop cutting that up. You're going to stick yourself any minute now. Why can't you talk to him?"

"Think what I've done, James. Think about it. I've betrayed him. I've betrayed every scrap of trust he ever had in me. If I were him I wouldn't forgive me and I can't even forgive myself. I put their lives in danger, James! His and Snape's, for no better reason than I lost my temper. How can I even look at him, let alone talk to him"

"You know, right now I'm not even sure he cares about that," James said, glancing over at Remus. The boy was working with Peter but seemed to be just as preoccupied as Sirius was. He was probably still worrying about facing the Boggart. He was so desperate for it to go well and James knew that he still wasn't sure what he was going to do with it.

"He just wants to talk to you. To make sure you're okay."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He's just like that, isn't he. He worries about everything and everybody."

"And with good reason," snapped Sirius. "Look, don't lecture me, James. I will sort this out. I just need to do it my own way and in my own time." He took up the knife again and began chopping with a vengeance. James gave up. There was no talking to Sirius when he was like this. He decided to turn his attention to Remus instead. He even pretended not to notice when Sirius finally sliced himself with the root knife. Sirius was sent off to get the cut seen to and James finally got to finish that potion properly. He cared about his friends a lot but sometimes they were just too stubborn for their own good. Besides, it meant he got some thinking time to himself. He wondered what would happen if Remus couldn't change the Boggart. He already thought he knew what form it would take for him and he reckoned he could cope as long as he kept his head and remembered it wasn't the real thing. But could Remus? And what would it do for Sirius and Peter? Boggarts were revealing creatures who could find your very worst fear. Everyone in that class would learn something intimate and secret about everyone else. He only hoped that they wouldn't find out more about Remus than was really necessary.

"Now then everyone! Who can tell me about Boggarts? You there, Sharpe, what is a Boggart?"

They were all standing in a large room with a closed wardrobe at the front. It was rocking back and forth in rather a disturbing way. As Sharpe gave his answer, James leaned over to Remus who was standing stiffly, a little pale but with his face set and determined.

"Are you ready?"

"I have to be. You?"

"I think so. The waiting is definitely the worst part. You know it's in there and you don't want to face it until you really have to."

"I guess we have to now."

"You there, at the back, less talking please! Lupin. Tell me now, what is the main advantage we have over the Boggart, bearing in mind that we are here as a class." Remus broke off the conversation to answer.

"There's so many of us here that it might get confused. It won't know whose fear to turn into first."

"Good, good. Now everyone, if you will please take out your wands, I will show you the correct pronunciation of the counter-spell. It can be a little tricky if you are only hearing it for the first time. Repeat after me. Wand out, Hawkins! You won't do much good otherwise."

They all chanted 'Riddikulus' when the professor told them to and then shoved and hustled themselves into some semblance of a queue. James deliberately stepped forward in front of Sirius to force him back nearer to Remus, who was last out of the four of them, but then Peter stepped into third place and either couldn't hear or ignored James hissing at him. James sighed in exasperation and left his place to duck behind Remus instead. He was going to get these two to talk if it killed him, even if it meant grabbing them both and banging their heads together.

They watched in surprise and amusement as the students each took their turns, turning the hair of a Medusa to a pink frizzy perm, making the fangs of a vampire turn round and stick themselves up his nose. The Slytherin girl who had strayed too close to the Whomping Willow three years ago managed to turn its branches into large waving feather boas that wound happily round her legs.

"Mister Valerium!"

"Mister Kane!"

"Miss Frost!" They went on and on, each meeting with success against the Boggart and going to stand at the sides of the room and watch everyone else have a go.

"Mister Black!"

Sirius stepped up in front of the cupboard, wand at the ready. _It'll be a scorpion,_ he reasoned. _I can't stand those._ Vaguely wishing he'd thought about it more beforehand, he raised his eyes to meet the Boggart. And stopped dead in his tracks, the words caught in his throat.

The entire class gasped. No one else had got anything like this. On the floor in front of Sirius lay a body, the faint glow of a recently cast spell hovering over it in a pulsing red light. The body was dead, that was easy to see from the sickly tinge on the face and hands. It was a body with a face he knew well. Sensible and open, with a mop of light brown hair.

"Oh Merlin," breathed James and Remus drew in a sharp breath.

"Quickly, Mister Black!" cried the professor. Reluctantly Sirius raised his wand.

"Riddikulus," he said, but there was fear in his voice and the Boggart took no notice. It only swelled until Remus' dead body filled all of Sirius' vision, taunting him. What he could have done, what he nearly did, what if he did it again? "Riddikulus!" he tried again in desperation. Again, nothing happened. Sirius tried again and again, anger and fear fuelling him on, until the teacher finally shook his head.

"Go and sit down, Mister Black. We'll need to work on this at a later date, I can see." There was a faint tittering among the class as Sirius stepped aside. They had never seen him fail so spectacularly at anything before. James caught his arm as he walked past, a distraught expression on his face.

"Hey, don't worry about it, alright?" But Sirius didn't even look at him. His eyes went straight to Remus, who was looking calmly back.

"Mister Pettigrew!" As Peter stepped forwards and Sirius went to the back of the classroom to join the others, Remus nodded slowly to himself.

"Moony?" James asked.

"Nothing," said Remus lightly, watching in interest as Peter managed to tie a large green snake into a number of rather attractive knots with a squeaky "Riddikulus!" that sounded anything but confident. Surprisingly, once Peter had stepped back, the Boggart reverted back to the image of his own dead body again, as if it wasn't done feeding on Sirius' fear yet.

"Mister Lupin! Your turn!"

James held his breath as Remus stepped forward, a thoughtful expression on his face. Thoughtful and apprehensive, but not fearful. It was a little strange, seeing Remus appear to walk up to his own dead body and he regarded it with distrust for a few moments before it finished basking in Sirius' fear and turned to face this new adversary. _Pop!_ Just as predicted, the Boggart became a large round full moon, with small clouds drifting aimlessly across its surface. Remus surveyed it for a few seconds with a tight face. James knew this was hard for him; he could actually see Remus' lips moving as he calmed himself down, telling himself that he wasn't going to change now. It wasn't a real moon. He wouldn't hurt anyone this time.

"Hurry up, Mister Lupin. Remember, it feeds on your fear." With a decisive movement Remus raised his wand to point directly at the moon's face and said in a clear, calm voice.

"Riddikulus!" In a flash the moon exploded and parts spread all over the room. For a moment everyone, including James, thought that something had gone horribly wrong; that the moon was going to expand and fill the whole room. But then the pieces began to drift gently down to the floor, shimmering with rainbow shades. James looked up and caught one on his hand. He could see other children doing the same thing.

"Bubbles?" he said, looking over at Remus. The boy shrugged, a wide grin on his face as he looked at what he had created.

"I like bubbles." He blew one away from his face with a smile. "They remind me of my friends." Sirius came up to him, astonishment all over his face as Remus finished his sentence.

"Big round things that make me laugh." He met Sirius' gaze squarely. All round the room the other students were giving in to the urge to chase the bubbles and try to catch them. Everyone was giggling at the trick.

"Thank you," Remus told him.

"For what?"

"For helping me do this. The bubbles, I mean. It worked!" Sirius eyes dropped to the floor with guilt and he fumbled for words.

"Remus," he stuttered. "I'm sorry. I'm so incredibly sorry. I don't know what happened, I just totally lost my head, but you can't even imagine how sorry I am. I know I betrayed you, I broke my promise and I don't see how you can trust me again. And I'm sorry."

Remus played with a bubble, thinking carefully as Sirius continued.

"When the Boggart turned into you - it was you, you know?" Remus nodded. "That was my biggest fear and I didn't even know it! Even though you came out all right that time what if next time someone does get hurt, and it's my fault? I know an apology isn't enough and what's done is done, but… Well, I am…" he finished. Remus thought about it, and then put out a hand to Sirius. His friend took it and they shook, both breathing sighs of relief in the shower of bubbles that were still drifting down like confetti.

"Okay?" said Remus tentatively.

"Okay!" Sirius replied, beginning to smile properly for the first time in days.

"It'll take a while," he added.

"I know. Take your time."

James came over to join them, a grin on his face too.

"Are you two finally sorted?"

"I think so," said Remus. "We're getting there." James collapsed in a chair. "Oh thank Merlin! I was beginning to think you'd become a mute, Sirius. And you didn't even need to say anything. The Boggart did all the talking for you."

"Yeah, I guess so," Sirius mused, before turning to Remus again. "So these bubbles, Moony? What's all this about?" he teased. "You're not three years old, you know." Remus laughed aloud, and all the bubbles vanished as the Boggart was defeated by the sound.

"Hey!" James exclaimed suddenly. "I didn't get a go!"

"Next time, James. Next time," Sirius assured him. The acceptance of his apology seemed to have brought him bouncing right back.

James smiled too. Remus was right, it would take a while to rebuild his trust in Sirius but at least they had made a start. Suddenly he had a flash of inspiration. Sirius and Remus saw the mischievous glint appear in his eyes, sending shivers down their spines.

"What?"

"I have just had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea," said James, grinning like a maniac. "It'll mean we can visit you Remus, and maybe protect you from worms like Snape."

"No! I told you, James. It's too dangerous for you to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know about _that_. But a werewolf won't attack other animals, will it?"

"Um… no, not unless it's really hungry. They prefer," he shuddered, "humans when they can get them. But why-"

"Peter, Sirius," James carried on, turning to them, "how would you feel about becoming Animagi!"

There was a dead silence.

"What? You're kidding aren't you?" whimpered Peter. A slow grin worked its way around Sirius' face.

"You're not, are you. You are deadly serious! That's great James!"

"MISTER BLACK! Could you please keep your comments to yourself until the end of class!" The teacher had finally managed to get the class back into some sort of order after the bubbles had vanished and was eager to get on with the lesson.

"Sorry sir," Sirius said, before leaning in towards the others again.

"We'll talk about it later," James said. They all nodded and attended to the lesson again. Or at least they tried. James was far too distracted trying to work out the logistics of his plan. They would need research, lots and lots of research, and he knew that Animagi were supposed to be registered. They would have to find a way to dodge that; no one would be happy if they knew that three underage wizards had tried such an advanced spell. But it could work, it _would_ work, he was sure of it.

On his right he could hear Remus muttering to himself "Here we go again," but he sounded almost happy. His vanishing tricks had been the only thing holding up the friendship of the four, but now they would all be in it together. And maybe understand him that bit more that he'd never experienced.

And it would change everything. Remus could relax a little about escaping, as they could keep him in line. James was already imagining himself as an elephant, although it struck him as an impractical choice.

They would have their own secrets to keep, which would give them even more reason to protect each other.

And, of course, the possibilities for pranks were endless.

He grinned again, resulting in the teacher wanting to know _exactly_ what he thought was so funny about the natural habitats of the Boggarts.

He kept his comments to himself for once, but still smiled inside.

This was going to be fun!


End file.
